


Axe

by Nebulad



Series: Vir Sumeil [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Fluff, GreyWarden!Tamlen, Shenanigans, Tamlen Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-30 15:04:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6429046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nebulad/pseuds/Nebulad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“This uniform is hot.” Tamlen was even complaining— if she closed her eyes, she could imagine she was back with the clan.</p><p>“Is that you telling me to move?”</p><p><i>“No,</i> I’m telling the Grey Wardens to make a summer uniform.” He flopped back on his elbows, sighing out heavily. They’d strayed farther from camp than Noll figured Alistair had really intended when he suggested that the Brecilian natives go ahead and make sure they weren’t going to be devoured in their sleep, but being around so many <i>shem</i> was starting to suffocate her. Tamlen, ever her partner, hadn’t even commented when she ducked off the path and into the clearing.</p><p>“Night is falling, you big baby. You’ll live.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Axe

Noll and Tamlen were decidedly not where they were supposed to be, but she was fairly confident that Alistair could handle being the leader for half an hour. They were meant to be scouting the forest, but it was a futile exercise. There was forest. There were werewolves. There were darkspawn. It was all fairly standard, which made Noll wonder a bit about the turn her life had taken.

“This uniform is hot.” Tamlen was even complaining— if she closed her eyes, she could imagine she was back with the clan. She didn’t move from her position, lying on his lap like a lump.

“Is that you telling me to move?”

“ _No_ , I’m telling the Grey Wardens to make a summer uniform.” He flopped back on his elbows, sighing out heavily. They’d strayed farther from camp than Noll figured Alistair had really intended when he suggested that the Brecilian natives go ahead and make sure they weren’t going to be devoured in their sleep, but being around so many _shem_ was starting to suffocate her. Tamlen, ever her partner, hadn’t even commented when she ducked off the path and into the clearing.

“Night is falling, you big baby. You’ll live.” Although she would admit that the little dull triangular metal points were digging into her cheek in a way that Dalish armour never did. “You think the demons are making it hot? Or the darkspawn?” It never usually heated up so bad unless it was the peak of summer. In theory the temperature should have been drawing down according to season, but that would require luck that hadn’t been on their side since finding those _shem_ in the wilderness.

“Talking about it is making me hot.” He was flat on his back now, his hands over his face. His sleeves were rolled up past the elbows and his tunic was much more open than Alistair wore his. Noll, admittedly, would have ditched hers in a moment if she had anything else to wear— as it stood, the archer had to think about what was going to stop a sword and not impede her draw.

“Don’t fall asleep or I’ll leave you here,” she warned, drifting a bit herself. The trees were rustling in a particularly relaxing way that they hadn’t during their stay in Redcliffe castle, and if the _shem_ meant to take them to Denerim to sleep in one of those awful stone oven castles then she wanted to enjoy the woods as long as she could.

Tamlen suddenly went tense. _“Lethallan?”_ he murmured. She grunted absently. “Noll there isn’t any wind.”

“I know, Tam, you’re hot. I heard.”

“But the trees are moving.” The sound of rustling leaves was very abruptly less relaxing. She stayed motionless for a moment, trying to judge their location. She placed most of the movement farther away, towards the river’s edge where the ground became flatter. Unfortunately…

The tree to their left turned, rolling its branches as if its joints were stiff. The bark on the front was twisted into some horrendous face, with a gnarled mouth caught in a permanent grimace and eyes slashed in and marked by charred wood. Arrows would slow it down and distract it, but ultimately do very little harm. If Tamlen could get in close he could try hacking it to pieces, but without another warrior there he was at a distinct disadvantage— Noll could only draw it away until it learned that she couldn’t injure it, and then would turn its full attention to Tam. If she could start a fire she could do some respectable damage, but until then they would have to deal with a flaming sylvan able to reach out and trap them in its doubtlessly flame-soaked branches.

The beast took a moment to look around, then its eyes locked on the two elves still lying in the open like apprentices.

“Do you have an axe, _lethallan?”_ he asked, not tearing his eyes away from the creature. Noll turned to stare at him incredulously.

“Really? Those are going to be your very last words to me?” she demanded.

“Not if we run. Right now.”

**Author's Note:**

> I still love Tamlen in case you forgot. Also here's my writing blog fresh off another goddamn theme reformat but easier to read now.


End file.
